Harbor Insights - January 2025

 Article by Morgan Maske

Hi! 2025 has begun with no shortage of big news. Climate change fueled natural disasters have swept the country, politics is still a rocky conversation topic, and the number of social issues has caused many to feel hopeless or unhappy. Though it is good to recognize these stressors, it is imprudent to dwell on them. A common bad habit, as technology continues its dominance, is “doomscrolling,” or spending excessive amounts of time on social media platforms consuming bad news. Doomscrolling does nothing good for you, instead causing stress, hopelessness, and fatigue.

We each have a number of habits, big or small, that can be a detriment to our health. Recognizing the issue is half the battle! I’ve found myself doomscrolling a number of times and decided to change my ways. However, a common mistake people make is setting a too high a bar for themselves. For example, if your screen time is consistently five hours, cutting it to twenty minutes immediately would be too drastic and nearly impossible to meet unless you locked your phone in a drawer and had your dog bury the key. This is a theme I see in many New Year’s resolutions and results in them being dropped.

This year, instead of focusing on lofty New Year’s Resolutions, it is important to focus on creating positive, healthy habits to enhance your mental and emotional well-being. These should be smaller goals that you can achieve one step at a time, like cutting only fifteen minutes of screen time by finding a new hobby to distract you.

There are many beneficial habits to embrace, though you shouldn’t try them all at once—choosing one or two to stick with is better than trying to uphold all of them and dropping them by the end of the month. These habits include engaging in exercise, setting up one thing you’re excited for every day, trying a new hobby, decreasing screen time, journalling, and making an effort to connect with friends and family. I find it easier when I have a tangible number to work toward. For example, I set a goal to hang out with a friend at least once a week. Having a numerical goal gives me an idea of what I should work toward and helps me feel more accomplished — though you must remember to give yourself grace if you don’t meet it immediately!

Another important habit to build is gratitude. When you can, write down two things you are grateful for each day. This can be large, like “I am grateful that I always have food,” or small, like “I am grateful for Arcane: League of Legends on Netflix.” Whatever it is, gratitude is an important skill to learn because it benefits the mind in many ways. 

Another habit I have is, at the end of the day, writing down all the good things that happened in a notebook. In this "Good Things Notebook," I write only what happened in that day... the now, rather than focusing on the past or future, and only the good things. Reframing somewhat mediocre experiences as good and reflecting on the positive helps me bring a more uplifting attitude to the next day.

It seems simple on paper, but if you forget or lose motivation, don’t beat yourself up. It is hard to form habits. According to the National Institute of Health, it takes around ten weeks for an action to become a habit. However, sticking to these simple resolutions will improve your well-being, allowing you to form better, positive connections.  I wish you well on your journey through the year with an open mind.